Dioxin-contaminated areas around Da Nang airport (Source: VNA)
(VOVworld) – On Monday US Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Steve Daines introduced a bill to ensure disability and health care benefits for thousands of Vietnam war veterans exposed to toxic Agent Orange, which US troops sprayed over Vietnam’s territory during the war. A similar bill was submitted to the US House of Representatives last month. After introducing the Senate bill “Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2015”, Senator Gillibrand, a Democrat, said “Hundreds of thousands of our veterans are being denied benefits they need and deserve because of a technicality in the law”. According to the Senator, during the Vietnam War the US military sprayed approximately 20 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam to kill jungle foliage. This toxic chemical has had devastating effects on millions who served in Vietnam.
The Office of Veterans Affairs is determining whether veterans who served in C-123 military cargo aircraft used to spray Agent Orange in Vietnam are entitled to compensation.